BBC Twitching Documentary (1 Viewer)

[username]

Total wipeout is an awesome show!!!! Who does'nt love the big balls!!?
......errrrr....that could be taken up wrongly.

Owen

Never seen Total Wipeout...is that the show that's hosted by cheeky chappy Hammond...[who i cud cheerfully hit round the back of the head with a shovel]?
I thought it was compulsory these days for saturday night 'entertainment' to be hosted by 'captain jack' type's.....[no offense...just an observation]...!

ps....BBC...please bring Torchwood back as soon as poss please...[ta very much]...oh...and while yer at it...stop the 'dumb' crap n endless friggin repeats

pps...thanx beeb for 'The Wire'.....least you got that right...

 

[tittletattler]

It is not either necessary or desirable for every programme to have a conservation message - one wouldn't really fit in Total Wipeout, for instance.

Instead of the programme being about 'birders with a conservation message', why not make it about birders and something else?

Birders and Asperger's?

Cheers,

Andy.

 

[Farnboro John]

Instead of the programme being about 'birders with a conservation message', why not make it about birders and something else?

Birders and Asperger's?

Cheers,

Andy.

Tourette Twitchers: In search of a F****** Mega!

John

 

[Parker]

Never seen Total Wipeout...is that the show that's hosted by cheeky chappy Hammond...[who i cud cheerfully hit round the back of the head with a shovel]?
I thought it was compulsory these days for saturday night 'entertainment' to be hosted by 'captain jack' type's.....[no offense...just an observation]...!

ps....BBC...please bring Torchwood back as soon as poss please...[ta very much]...oh...and while yer at it...stop the 'dumb' crap n endless friggin repeats

pps...thanx beeb for 'The Wire'.....least you got that right...

Don't think we'll see Torchwood for a while if ever. Did you read the excuse in RT for putting it on for five consecutive nights instead of 13 weeks. They reckon public couldn't remember the story line from week to week. Taking the pish or wot. You could always watch repeats of "My Name Is Earl" instead username,thats always good value.

Back to the thread i think program could be well funny but i wouldn't trust those feckers as far as i couldn't throw them. P.

 

[username]

'Parker'....no...i didn't read that the beeb reckoned the public wouldn't remember the torchwood storyline from week to week! Cheeky bar-stewards!.....

ps...i have to admit tho...a lot of the viewing public probably wouldn't remember storylines...but 'those' type o viewers wouldn't be watching torchwood in the first place!

ps...sorry for the sci-fi diversion away from twitchers program...[anybody wishing to know wot 'some' twitchers are like...just look in this months Birdwatch mag n read a 'top listers' thoughts on who's 'number one' in uk listing]...and try not to fall asleep....!

 

[Pariah]

Yeah! Those comments were doing the rounds on alot of forums. (birdforum, bubo and letters in birdwatch). Its the stuff of lullabys all right!

Now self found listing...thats another matter!

Owen

 

[username]

Yeah! Those comments were doing the rounds on alot of forums. (birdforum, bubo and letters in birdwatch). Its the stuff of lullabys all right!

Now self found listing...thats another matter!

Owen

I only read 'those comments' yesterday Pariah...and to be honest..i fell about guffawing with incredulity! I thought i lived on another planet....jeezzz! No disrespect to 'the man'....i admire his energy n all.....[i remember 'his energy' many years ago when there were 2 chimney swifts at Gworra...blimey..the bloke was defo on 'speed' or sumat...was a chuckle to watch]! I also remember another famous 'face' when two swifts came over valley [when there was only one chimney reported] and he was ranting 'itz the one on the left...itz the one on the left'....eerrr....no...theyz is both chimney's you twonk...relax willya?!!!! Flippin priceless. I guess the beeb wants guys like that in 'the' program tho.....its all entertainment...[it is to me anyway]

 

[tom mckinney]

One of my bestest(est) pals is an assistant producer who used to work for the BBC, and for a long time he was mad keen on the idea of making a documentary about people in love with watching birds. He wanted to push the idea to some independent production companies. We began to cobble together ideas and a rudimentary outline for the programme, and I insisted that it shouldn't just show birdy people as a load of eccentric twitcher weirdos, but instead try to convey why so many people choose to spend so much of their lives engrossed in birdy things, the full spectrum: from UK twitchers and world birders to musicians directly inspired by birdsong and even a few crazed 2-tons-a-week-of-niger-seed garden birders. Definitely the latter. We even agreed that some of the filming should be "quite beautiful".

It was also going to try and reflect the social diversity of birdy people, from corrupt high court judges soaked in brandy to homeless vermin soaked in Mad Dog 20:20, from religious leaders to large percentages of the sex offenders register. All bound together by a love of birds.

And so (helped by a whiteboard, the use of expressions such as blue sky thinking and a paper bag of boiled sweets) we thought up a few ideas - wowzer! - and what ideas they were! But unfortunately it was all just incredibly twee and p1ss boring. Ultimately, we reluctantly admitted that the programme would have to focus primarily on eccentrics and nut-jobs in order for it to make compelling entertainment for non-birdy folk, and unfortunately zooming off to see vagrants would have to make up a large part of it. I guess the thrill of seawatching out of your car window or the subtelties of Speyside crossbill vocalizations will perhaps never make it to mainstream TV.

And so that was the end of what would probably have been the greatest ever birdy documentary. A great loss to you all.

But life goes on. My pal went to work on a little known programme called Dragons Den and then moved on to some fancy job at ITV where he gets to wear a laminated badge with his name in capital letters. Apparently he has no regrets.

And as for me? Well I'm just a simple soul: the wind in my hair and the odd episode of Columbo is all I need in life.

But one day, one distant day, you never know, we might just get that whiteboard out again...

 

[tittletattler]

But unfortunately it was all just incredibly twee and p1ss boring. Ultimately, we reluctantly admitted that the programme would have to focus primarily on eccentrics and nut-jobs in order for it to make compelling entertainment for non-birdy folk...

I think your suggestions make a lot of sense and a series based upon all aspects of our hobby would appeal to a sufficient number of viewers. In fact, this sort of format already exists with Mr Oddie as the front man.

Would enough people watch it? Well, there are certain time slots that this format could fill: BBC2 on a tuesday at 7.30am when the attention of the brain dead masses is elsewhere. A cheaply made human interest wildlife programme always provides a watch-worthy alternative to some CHAV shouting 'RICKEEEEE.....'

Some of the natural history cable channels are now producing their own programmes so that's another option.

The format wouldn't have to concentrate on one subject per week but could 'mix it up' to make each programme more interesting.

Question is, would concentrating on the 'nutters' really pull in more viewers? Or would it put its target audience off?

 

[username]

One idea might be to get some of the most opinionated twitchers/birders and ego/megalomaniacs n stick em in a 'lock-up' house...[big bruvver stylee]. Then introduce the odd transexual and a few 'robin strokers'...and get em to discuss the 'slender billed curlew/chicken' uk record. Add alcohol n music....then watch the fools trying to dance...that shud be a larf....i'd watch that...

ps...you cud always supply them with firearms for added drama....what do you reckon 'beeb'...any chance?....no?

 

[PhilW]

One of my bestest(est) pals is an assistant producer who used to work for the BBC, and for a long time he was mad keen on the idea of making a documentary about people in love with watching birds. He wanted to push the idea to some independent production companies. We began to cobble together ideas and a rudimentary outline for the programme, and I insisted that it shouldn't just show birdy people as a load of eccentric twitcher weirdos, but instead try to convey why so many people choose to spend so much of their lives engrossed in birdy things, the full spectrum: from UK twitchers and world birders to musicians directly inspired by birdsong and even a few crazed 2-tons-a-week-of-niger-seed garden birders. Definitely the latter. We even agreed that some of the filming should be "quite beautiful".

It was also going to try and reflect the social diversity of birdy people, from corrupt high court judges soaked in brandy to homeless vermin soaked in Mad Dog 20:20, from religious leaders to large percentages of the sex offenders register. All bound together by a love of birds.

And so (helped by a whiteboard, the use of expressions such as blue sky thinking and a paper bag of boiled sweets) we thought up a few ideas - wowzer! - and what ideas they were! But unfortunately it was all just incredibly twee and p1ss boring. Ultimately, we reluctantly admitted that the programme would have to focus primarily on eccentrics and nut-jobs in order for it to make compelling entertainment for non-birdy folk, and unfortunately zooming off to see vagrants would have to make up a large part of it. I guess the thrill of seawatching out of your car window or the subtelties of Speyside crossbill vocalizations will perhaps never make it to mainstream TV.

And so that was the end of what would probably have been the greatest ever birdy documentary. A great loss to you all.

But life goes on. My pal went to work on a little known programme called Dragons Den and then moved on to some fancy job at ITV where he gets to wear a laminated badge with his name in capital letters. Apparently he has no regrets.

And as for me? Well I'm just a simple soul: the wind in my hair and the odd episode of Columbo is all I need in life.

But one day, one distant day, you never know, we might just get that whiteboard out again...

You still got that CD your mate did Tom? The site of a certain N W individual continually adjusting his hair for the camera is well worth a second laugh!:-O

 

[tom mckinney]

You still got that CD your mate did Tom? The site of a certain N W individual continually adjusting his hair for the camera is well worth a second laugh!:-O

Eh up Phil, I never did see Lyndon's screen test of you lot, but he still remembers your radar ears on the Great Orme! B

 

[rockfowl]

One idea might be to get some of the most opinionated twitchers/birders and ego/megalomaniacs n stick em in a 'lock-up' house...[big bruvver stylee]. Then introduce the odd transexual and a few 'robin strokers'...and get em to discuss the 'slender billed curlew/chicken' uk record. Add alcohol n music....then watch the fools trying to dance...that shud be a larf....i'd watch that...

ps...you cud always supply them with firearms for added drama....what do you reckon 'beeb'...any chance?....no?

Like it!!! I could suggest a few 'residents', though I reckon our 'proposed' would pretty much match

 

[username]

Like it!!! I could suggest a few 'residents', though I reckon our 'proposed' would pretty much match

TV saturday night prime time viewing i would imagine...gotta be!

ps...'a twitcher is summoned to the diarrhoea room....he's gettin reet fedup with nowt to count but the endless minutes of his life passin by'...

 

[Lichfield Birder]

ps...'a twitcher is summoned to the diarrhoea room....he's gettin reet fedup with nowt to count but the endless minutes of his life passin by'...

:-O:-O:-O

 

[Chris Galvin]

McKinney,

How I have missed your blog. Gonna start a Bird Forum thread to canvas opinion to put pressure on ya to start it up again. Afterall what is there to do where you live up in Royston Vasey, errm I mean Glossop

 

[Birdspotter]

Now self found listing...thats another matter!

Owen

Yep the real stars in my eyes, after all if it wasn't for them, some of the self proclaimed top birders in this country wouldnt even be mentioned.

The wheat from the chaff springs to mind.

Now where's me helmet (but the truth hurts, so get over it):-O

 

[Adey Baker]

One of my bestest(est) pals is an assistant producer who used to work for the BBC, and for a long time he was mad keen on the idea of making a documentary about people in love with watching birds. He wanted to push the idea to some independent production companies. We began to cobble together ideas and a rudimentary outline for the programme, and I insisted that it shouldn't just show birdy people as a load of eccentric twitcher weirdos, but instead try to convey why so many people choose to spend so much of their lives engrossed in birdy things, the full spectrum: from UK twitchers and world birders to musicians directly inspired by birdsong and even a few crazed 2-tons-a-week-of-niger-seed garden birders. Definitely the latter. We even agreed that some of the filming should be "quite beautiful".

It was also going to try and reflect the social diversity of birdy people, from corrupt high court judges soaked in brandy to homeless vermin soaked in Mad Dog 20:20, from religious leaders to large percentages of the sex offenders register. All bound together by a love of birds.

And so (helped by a whiteboard, the use of expressions such as blue sky thinking and a paper bag of boiled sweets) we thought up a few ideas - wowzer! - and what ideas they were! But unfortunately it was all just incredibly twee and p1ss boring. Ultimately, we reluctantly admitted that the programme would have to focus primarily on eccentrics and nut-jobs in order for it to make compelling entertainment for non-birdy folk, and unfortunately zooming off to see vagrants would have to make up a large part of it. I guess the thrill of seawatching out of your car window or the subtelties of Speyside crossbill vocalizations will perhaps never make it to mainstream TV.

And so that was the end of what would probably have been the greatest ever birdy documentary. A great loss to you all.

But life goes on. My pal went to work on a little known programme called Dragons Den and then moved on to some fancy job at ITV where he gets to wear a laminated badge with his name in capital letters. Apparently he has no regrets.

And as for me? Well I'm just a simple soul: the wind in my hair and the odd episode of Columbo is all I need in life.

But one day, one distant day, you never know, we might just get that whiteboard out again...

Tony Soper made a decent series about 20 years ago featuring different aspects of birding and birders as much as the birds in each programme. They even started off with the Wood Thrush on St Agnes, though they didn't secure any footage of it.

 

[liverpool_bob]

Tony Soper made a decent series about 20 years ago featuring different aspects of birding and birders as much as the birds in each programme. They even started off with the Wood Thrush on St Agnes, though they didn't secure any footage of it.

See also 'Clegg's People' in the 80s (possibly only broadcast in the Yorkshire region).

 

[Farnboro John]

One idea might be to get some of the most opinionated twitchers/birders and ego/megalomaniacs n stick em in a 'lock-up' house...[big bruvver stylee]. Then introduce the odd transexual and a few 'robin strokers'...and get em to discuss the 'slender billed curlew/chicken' uk record. Add alcohol n music....then watch the fools trying to dance...that shud be a larf....i'd watch that...

Lock them in a hide at Minsmere and carry on.... see how long before they start hitting each other for being noisy, having smelly egg sandwiches, mis-identifying common birds, having their pagers on bleep, reminiscing constantly instead of watching what is out there, slagging absent friends off......

Unmissable TV.

John